Expanded scope activities build upon a growing list of healthcare services that pharmacy professionals have been authorized to provide to patients in recent years.
In October 2012, the provincial government announced regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 that expanded the role of pharmacists in Ontario, giving them the authority to:
- Initiate therapy for smoking cessation with varenicline or bupropion
- Renew and adapt prescriptions for up to six months
- Administer injections or inhalations (for the purpose of education or demonstration)
- Administer the flu vaccine to patients as young as five years old
In December 2016, building on the success of the pharmacists’ participation in the administration of flu shots through the province’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP), the provincial government enacted regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 that authorized pharmacists to:
- Administer 15 additional vaccines by injection
In September 2020, regulations under the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Center Licensing Act, 1990 were amended to allow pharmacists to:
- Collect specimens and order lab tests for COVID-19
- In December 2020 this authority was further expanded to include point-of-care tests for COVID-19
In December 2020, further amendments to the regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 expanded the authority of pharmacists to:
- Administer the flu vaccine to patients as young as two years old
- Renew prescriptions in quantities of up to a 12-month supply
In January 2021, the provincial government amended O. Reg.107/96 – Controlled Acts, under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 to permit a pharmacist or pharmacy technician to:
- Administer a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine by injection.
In March 2021, amendments to the regulations under the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Center Licensing Act, 1990 permitted any person, including pharmacy technicians, to:
- Perform point-of-care tests for COVID-19
In November 2021, the provincial government approved regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 to authorize pharmacy technicians to:
- Administer influenza vaccine by injection to patients two years of age or older, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP).
Regulation changes under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 and the Laboratory and Specimen Collection Center Licensing Act, 1990 came into effect on July 1, 2022, authorizing pharmacy professionals to:
- Perform certain point-of-care tests
On December 12, 2022, O. Reg.107/96 – Controlled Acts, under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA), was amended to authorize a Part A pharmacist to:
- Prescribe Paxlovid™ (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir) antiviral treatment for COVID-19 in accordance with the criteria set out by the Ministry of Health.
On January 1, 2023, the provincial government enacted regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 giving pharmacists the authority to:
- Prescribe for 13 minor ailments.
On July 1, 2023, changes to the regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 expanded a pharmacist’s authority to:
- Administer substances listed in the regulations by injection and inhalation for purposes other than patient demonstration and education. New injected substances were also added to the list, which expanded the possible routes of administration to include IV (via an established access device) along with IM and SC.
On October 1, 2023, pharmacist prescribing for six additional minor ailments was authorized. The AHFS categories for classes of drugs were removed and replaced by a list of specific drugs for each of the minor ailments.
On December 12, 2023, regulations were amended under the Pharmacy Act, 1991 to permit pharmacy professionals to:
- Administer Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine by injection to patients 5 years of age and older
Part A pharmacists (only) are authorized to:
- Prescribe Oseltamivir to treat influenza